Bloom: Memories Returns to Kickstarter

Bloom: Memories, "a new kind of action-adventure RPG," is taking another run at Kickstarter.

"Bloom," according to the Studio Fawn website, "strives to capture the innocent feeling of adventure and discovery (taking lessons from such classic games as The Legend of Zelda) while at the same time pushing the experience deeper with a heartfelt story of love and sacrifice." That doesn't exactly nail down the specifics, does it? But the visual style is very strong, and the promise of a game that doesn't rely on relentless bloodshed for victory (but leaves that door open if that's how you roll) is certainly intriguing.

Bloom will also feature a "strong stealth system" that's "heavily based on the amazing stealth play of the original Thief game." It's played from an isometric perspective, not first-person, but "using shadows to conceal yourself, luring away enemies with distractions (sound and vision detection), or simply sneaking around an unaware enemy" will all be part of the package. And of course you can always just talk to people, too.

"Talking to enemies (or friends) will be much more important than simply being told where to go next. You will make allies, discover secret paths, find new solutions of how to solve problems, and even gain new powers," the Kickstarter states. "Of course, creatures also have shifting moods. So if you are aware of those and manage to control or take advantage of them, new ways of approaching problems will appear."

This is actually Bloom's second appearance on Kickstarter, following an effort in March that fell short but still managed to raise nearly $35,000 of a $50,000 goal. The team is seeking $40,000 this time around, and the Kickstarter itself seems a little more focused; there's also a "pre-alpha engine demo," which goes a long way toward establishing a project's credibility (or lack thereof, but let's hope for the best).

The Bloom: Memories Kickstarter is live now and runs until December 10. Do I have to tell you not to back it unless you can afford to lose it? Yes, I do, and I just did, but if you like what you see, you can dig in deeper at studiofawn.com.